Lining for rubber articles



c. E. BRADLEY ET AL 7 May 5, 1931.

LINING FOR RUBBER ARTICLES Original Filed May 19, 1927 ffufen't rs I[50%; Zfir aay azzdefl/yason so stantial lining for Reissued May 5, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. BRADLEY AND CLAUDE D. MASON, OFMISHAWAKA, INDIANA, TO MISHAWAKA. RUBBER AND WOOLEN MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY,

ASSIGNOBB OF MISHA- WAKA, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA IIIN'ING FORRUBBER ARTICLES Original No. 1,677,428, dated July 17, 1928, Serial No.

filed July 16, 1930.

Our invention relates to rubber linings for rubber articles and hasreference more particularly to a construction whereby rubber articles oflight weight and having a high degree of flexibility and elasticity maybe produced.

In the manufacture of rubber articles it is important, especially inclose fitting types, to provide a lining to facilitate putting on antaking off and to avoid direct contact of the rubber with other articlesof clothing or with the body of the wearer, and aiford a non-conductinglayer ermitting a movement of air between the ru her article and theclothing or the body of the wearer for avoiding unpleasant heating whichwould otherwise occur.

An illustrative example of such conditions is in the rubber footwear artwhere a fabric lining is satisfactory for ordinary and heavy duty typesof rubber footwear, but it is desirable to provide finer grades ofrubber footwear oflight weight and having a high degree of flexibilityan elasticity, and this has not been successfully accomplishedheretofore, as a suitable lining was not available. A fabric liningwould not do as it sacrificed flexibility and restricted the elasticitof the rubber to such an extent that it de eated the desired urpose andmoreover, it would pull loose rom the rubber when the latter wasstretched re eatedly, as required in actual use.

ith our invention, however, we have overcome the difliculties heretoforeencountered by using a thin coating of comminuated fibers, which areapplied to the inner surface of the rubber and thus provide a liningwhich does not affect the elasticity or flexibility of the rubber andwhich will not pull loose when the rubber is repeatedly stretched.

The rincipal objects of our invention are to pro uce satisfactory lightweight highly elastic rubber footwear; to provide an im= proved liningfor rubber footwear, to preserve the elasticity and flexibility of therubber; to provide alining which will readily shape itself to the formin which the rubber is assembled in the article of footwear; to minimizethe expense of lining rubber footwear; and in general, to provide asimple and subrubber footwear which rubber.

192,591, filed May 19, 1927. Application for reissue Serial No. 468,474.

may be easily applied and which enhances the appearance of the articleof footwear.

On the drawings:

Fig. I is a perspective view of a common form of rubber, showing our imroved lining, a pcprtion of the sidewall beingbroken away; an

,7 Fig. 2' is an enlarged sectional view on the d line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral ,1 indicates a rubberof a well known type, the side wall or upper 2 of which is provided witha lining 3 in accordance with our invention. The upper is preferablymade of a special quality stock with sufficient toughness to withstandthe required strain and isquite elastic, a-nd the upper edge of the sidewall is preferably reinforced against splitting or tearing in a mannerwhich will not restrict the elasticity or stretchingas for example by anelastic tape 4, which'is embedded in the upper edge of the side wall ofthe rubber and extends around the mouth of the latter.

The rubber may be provided with the usual insole 5 of fabric, but theremaining inner surface of the rubber or inner surface of the upper iscovered with a coating 3 of comminuted fibers, which are adhesivelyapplied to the inner surface of the side wall of the rubber, so A as toafford a complete coating which conceals and covers'the inner surface ofthe upper.

We have found that finely divided ground cotton, wool or silkspecifically known as floc may be used for the lining to good advantageand at the same time does'not detract from the highly elastic propertiesof the Besides avoiding direct contact of the rubber with the shoe andproviding the necessary smooth feel and consequent improvement in easeof putting on and taking off the rubberzor other similar article, thisflock coating also gives a nonconducting layer between the article andthe leather shoe, permitting a movement of the air between the rubberand leather shoe and avoiding heating of the foot, which would otherwiseoccur. 11 addition this inner coating of flock gives an attractiveappearance, as it may be colored any desired color.

I which 7 rubber foot The flock may be applied to the rubber in anysuitable way, but we have found it advantageous to apply the flock onthe stock as it comes from the calender and while the rubber is stillwarm and tacky. (After the footwear is made up with the flock liningsticking to the inner surface of the rubber, the footwear is vulcanizedin the usual manner,-and this securely combines the particles ofmaterial composing the flock with the surface of the rubber, 'so that apermanent lining results which will withstand the usage and wear to earare subected.

While we have shown and described our invention with particularreference to rubber footwear, we are aware that various changes andmodifications may be made to apply it to other rubber articles forcovering or protion of an elastic up tion and a lining 0 sively appliedto tecting other portions of the body and Without departing from theprinciples underlying the invention, consequently reference should bemade tothe appended claims for an understanding of the scope of theinvention.

Having thus described our invention; what we claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

1. In'an article of footwear, the combination of an upper composedentirely of elastic rubber composition with a lining of comminutedfibers applied to the inner surface thereof so that the extensibility ofthe lining is limited solely by the elasticity of the rubbercomposition. p

-2. In an article of footwear, the combination of an u per of highlyelastic rubber composition an a freely extensible lining adhethe innersurface of the up per so that enlargement of-the upper is limited solelyby the elasticity of the rubber composition.

3. In an article of footwear, the combinaer of rubber composiseparatecomminuted bers uniformly distributed over and adhesively securedto theinner surface of the upper, said lining being freely extensible so thatthe stretching of the upper is unrestricted thereby. V

4. In an article of footwear, the conibinaan upper of rubber compositionand therein consisting of minute separate' particles of fiberunconnected except by adhesion to the rubber. p

5. An article of footwear comprising a sole and an upper thelatter'being composed of thin high y elastic rubber composition and alining consisting of minute particles of fibrous material connectedsolely by adhesion to the rubber composition of the upper, saidparticles being free to move relatively with the stretching of therubber.

(ii In an article of wearing apparel shaped to t a portion of the humanbody, the" combination of a wall of rubber composition vulapparel, the

sistlng of minute separate particles of fiber unconnected except e 8. Inan article of Wearing apparel, the combination of an elastic body ofrubber composition vulcanized in a form to fit a portion of the humanbody and having a lining of separate comminuted fibers tributed overandadhesively secured to the inner surface of the body, said lining beingfreely extensible sbdthat the stretching of the body is unrestrictethereby.

9 In an articleof wearing apparel, the combination of a body composedentirel of elastic rubber composition, vulcanized in .a form to fit aportion of the human body and having a lining of comminuted fibersapplied to the inner surface tlfereof so that the extensibility of thelinin is limited solely by the elasticity of the rub r. composition.

Signed at Mishawaka,.county of St. Jo-

seph, State of Indiana, this 12th day of J uly, 1930.

uniformly disy adhesion to the rub

